Chile's Contraloría General de la República issued a ruling responding to opposition lawmakers' complaint against social media posts by the Ministry Secretaría General de Gobierno (Segegob). The oversight body questioned terms like 'Estado en quiebra' and ordered corrective measures. The government admitted the expression was unfortunate.
Chile's Contraloría General de la República responded to a request from opposition lawmakers denouncing social media posts by executive branch authorities, especially Segegob. These referred to a supposed 'Estado en quiebra' or 'Estado endeudado', allegedly violating administrative probity and political neutrality principles.
The government, via Segegob, admitted the 'Estado en quiebra' expression was unfortunate. It was used to explain the fuel price surge in March and was removed. Segegob's response stated it was used in a colloquial sense and “may not have fully met the standard of ‘moderation and restraint’”.
The ruling reminded public officials to adhere to probity principles and avoid political activities on institutional social media. Such channels should only convey information directly related to official functions. While acknowledging colloquial terms for better understanding, it found Segegob failed to technically and factually substantiate the terms used.
Thus, it ordered Segegob to take measures against imprecise publications and initiated a disciplinary process for potential administrative responsibilities. The recent ruling sparks debate on the oversight body's scope.
